Abstract
Low magnesium intake has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in several studies conducted in high-income countries. However, very few studies have been performed in Africa, where many countries have a growing rate of T2DM. We conducted a pilot cross-sectional study among 63 women in Ghana to investigate the association between magnesium intake and glycemic markers. We assessed dietary magnesium using a food frequency questionnaire and glycemic markers using fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Our findings showed that the mean magnesium intake was 200 ± 116 mg/day. The prevalence of T2DM was 5% by measuring fasting blood glucose and 8% by measuring HbA1c. Unadjusted linear regression models revealed that higher magnesium intake significantly predicted higher fasting blood glucose levels (β = 0.31; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.55; p = 0.01) and HbA1c levels (β = 0.26; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.51; p = 0.04). In adjusted analyses, magnesium intake was no longer significantly associated with either fasting blood glucose levels (β = 0.22; 95% CI: −0.03, 0.46; p = 0.08) or HbA1c levels (β = 0.15; 95% CI: −0.08, 0.39; p = 0.20). In conclusion, our study did not show a significant association between magnesium intake and glycemic markers in women of reproductive age in Ghana. The results of this study need to be further substantiated because this was the first study to examine magnesium intake and glycemic markers in this population in Africa.
Highlights
Magnesium is a critical mineral in the body serving as a cofactor for more than 300 enzymes that regulate diverse biochemical reactions, including blood glucose [1]
Several studies have reported that low magnesium intake is associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) [3,4,5,6], and randomized controlled trials show that magnesium supplementation improves glucose parameters in adults with diabetes and improves insulin sensitivity in those at high risk of diabetes [7,8,9,10]
About 40% and 25% of the women were classified as having prediabetes per fasting blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, respectively, while 5% vs. 8% were classified as having diabetes
Summary
Magnesium is a critical mineral in the body serving as a cofactor for more than 300 enzymes that regulate diverse biochemical reactions, including blood glucose [1]. Magnesium deficiency can affect insulin regulation and may increase the risk of diabetes due to its essential role in the activation of the tyrosine kinase enzyme for insulin receptor activity [2]. Like many countries in Africa, is experiencing a nutrition transition, with less intake of traditional foods and increased consumption of processed foods typically associated with a western diet [11]. Intrauterine magnesium deficiency in the fetus was linked to insulin resistance after birth, increasing the risk of metabolic syndrome in adulthood [15]. It is unknown whether magnesium deficiency is a factor contributing to the prevalence of T2DM in Ghana as the average magnesium intake in the current diet is unknown. This study intends to fill a critical void in our understanding of diet and T2DM risk in Ghana
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